Morocco beat Netherlands on penalties to reach World Cup last 16

Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties to reach the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Monday 29 June, after a 1-1 draw at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, sent a tense round-of-32 tie into extra time and then a shootout.

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Crysencio Summerville's penalty to tilt the shootout in Morocco's favour, and Ismael Saibari then drove the winning spot-kick into the low left corner to send the Atlas Lions through. The Netherlands missed three of their five attempts; Morocco missed two of theirs.

Diop rescues Morocco with a stoppage-time header

Cody Gakpo had given the Netherlands the lead in the 72nd minute, finishing a sweeping Summerville break with a header. The goal carried particular weight: Gakpo broke into tears at the final whistle, days after he and his partner Noa van der Bij announced the loss of their unborn child.

Morocco appeared to be heading out until Issa Diop headed in a Chemsdine Talbi cross in the 91st minute to force extra time. The equaliser was Morocco's last clear moment of the 90 minutes.

In the additional 30 minutes, Soufiane Rahimi went one-on-one with Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen only to see his shot deflected away from point-blank range. Neither side created a clear chance beyond that, and the match went to penalties.

A chaotic shootout settled by Bounou and Saibari

Morocco's first penalty, taken by El Aynaoui, struck the crossbar. Wout Weghorst scored for the Netherlands before Chemsdine Talbi responded to level the shootout at 2-2. Quentin Timber then fired wide; Achraf Hakimi hit the post. After eight kicks, only four had found the net.

Bounou punched away Summerville's attempt with his left hand. Saibari stepped up and sent the ball into the low corner as Verbruggen went the wrong way. Morocco's players mobbed the goalscorer on the pitch.

Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who took over the senior team in March 2026 after guiding the country's under-20 side to a World Cup title, said his team had earned recognition on the night. "Morocco has gained everybody's respect now," Ouahbi told reporters. "It is not because of what we've said. We have now shown it."

Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman said Kluivert, brought on late specifically to take a penalty, had been among his best in training. "But he missed his penalty and that's even more bitter for him and for us," Koeman said.

Netherlands exit at their earliest-ever stage; Morocco eye Canada

The result sent the Netherlands out at the round-of-32 stage — the earliest elimination in the country's World Cup history. It was also the third consecutive World Cup from which the Dutch have been eliminated on penalties.

Morocco and the Netherlands had entered the tie as the sixth and seventh-ranked sides in the world respectively, the highest combined ranking of any round-of-32 match at this tournament. Morocco finished second in Group C behind Brazil, while the Netherlands advanced from Group F.

For Morocco, who became the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final in Qatar in 2022, the result extends another strong run. They face co-hosts Canada in Houston on Saturday 4 July in the last 16.